Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Usually when I make jams or jellies, I make them 12-24 pints at a time. I go through a lot of jams/jellies because I use them on pancakes or waffles as a cheaper and healthier alternative to that sugar water they market as maple syrup (trust me, if you have ever been to a real sugar shack, you know what you are buying is not maple syrup even if it says 100% organic maple syrup ... its mostly sugar water and full of preservatives). When I make larger batches of jams/jellies its always done on the stove top. But if I have small batches to make, my 13 year old oster breadmaker (and pretty much all bread machines have a jam menu option) is perfect for this. Small batches (I consider to be 2 pints or 4 x 1/2 pints) can be made in a breadmaker in about an hour, can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or can be frozen. The breadmakers jam menu option is also great for trying a new recipe to see if you like it before scaling it up to a larger batch (you really have to be careful with recipes these days because many don't even work because they are generated by AI bots along with the images for them). You can still water bath can small scale jam recipes, heck, it can simply be done in a large pan like you make spaghetti in as they generally will hold 4 pints easily.
rhubarb butter (just like apple butter) is very easy to make even if you have never made it before and there are a few recipes available for it online but I've been making it for years and years using my own recipe (which honestly was just made via trial and error based on what I like and is pretty close to my apple butter recipe which has cloves but this one doesn't, i.e. most other recipes use granulated sugar or honey and I prefer dark brown sugar or granulated sugar with added molasses.). I share my recipe with you in this video.
What is rhubarb butter? It's like apple butter but tart, almost like Sweet tarts or lemon heads candy but not too tart like straight up lemon juice. My recipe also uses sour apples instead of store bought pectin as the thickening agent (granny smith is the best but you can use any apple or even other fruits high in pectin). It's absolutely great on pancakes or waffles or used as a marinade on pork, chicken, or beef (to be honest, I use rhubarb butter along with apple butter mostly on pork chops - they both pair well as a pork marinade). It's even great just eating it right off a spoon. It also works well anywhere strawberry rhubarb jam is used which includes peanut butter sandwiches or on top of ice cream.
This recipe will make 16 oz of rhubarb butter for every 1 lb of rhubarb (a single 16 oz pint mason jar or 2 x 1/2 pint 8 oz mason jars or 4 x 1/4 pint 4 oz mason jars):
Ingredients (for every 1lb rhubarb):
1 lb rhubarb chopped
1 tart apple cored and chopped (granny smith)
1/2 cup sugar (granulated, brown, honey, or sugar substitute - i prefer the taste of dark brown sugar or you could use granulated sugar with molasses too)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Usually when I make jams or jellies, I make them 12-24 pints at a time. I go through a lot of jams/jellies because I use them on pancakes or waffles as a cheaper and healthier alternative to that sugar water they market as maple syrup (trust me, if you have ever been to a real sugar shack, you know what you are buying is not maple syrup even if it says 100% organic maple syrup ... its mostly sugar water and full of preservatives). When I make larger batches of jams/jellies its always done on the stove top. But if I have small batches to make, my 13 year old oster breadmaker (and pretty much all bread machines have a jam menu option) is perfect for this. Small batches (I consider to be 2 pints or 4 x 1/2 pints) can be made in a breadmaker in about an hour, can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or can be frozen. The breadmakers jam menu option is also great for trying a new recipe to see if you like it before scaling it up to a larger batch (you really have to be careful with recipes these days because many don't even work because they are generated by AI bots along with the images for them). You can still water bath can small scale jam recipes, heck, it can simply be done in a large pan like you make spaghetti in as they generally will hold 4 pints easily.
rhubarb butter (just like apple butter) is very easy to make even if you have never made it before and there are a few recipes available for it online but I've been making it for years and years using my own recipe (which honestly was just made via trial and error based on what I like and is pretty close to my apple butter recipe which has cloves but this one doesn't, i.e. most other recipes use granulated sugar or honey and I prefer dark brown sugar or granulated sugar with added molasses.). I share my recipe with you in this video.
What is rhubarb butter? It's like apple butter but tart, almost like Sweet tarts or lemon heads candy but not too tart like straight up lemon juice. My recipe also uses sour apples instead of store bought pectin as the thickening agent (granny smith is the best but you can use any apple or even other fruits high in pectin). It's absolutely great on pancakes or waffles or used as a marinade on pork, chicken, or beef (to be honest, I use rhubarb butter along with apple butter mostly on pork chops - they both pair well as a pork marinade). It's even great just eating it right off a spoon. It also works well anywhere strawberry rhubarb jam is used which includes peanut butter sandwiches or on top of ice cream.
This recipe will make 16 oz of rhubarb butter for every 1 lb of rhubarb (a single 16 oz pint mason jar or 2 x 1/2 pint 8 oz mason jars or 4 x 1/4 pint 4 oz mason jars):
Ingredients (for every 1lb rhubarb):
1 lb rhubarb chopped
1 tart apple cored and chopped (granny smith)
1/2 cup sugar (granulated, brown, honey, or sugar substitute - i prefer the taste of dark brown sugar or you could use granulated sugar with molasses too)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
